No More Learning

) was either by the Authority
of King Joash, or it was a horrible Crime in the High Priest, which
(ever after the election of King Saul) was a mere Subject. The fact of
St. Ambrose, in Excommunicating Theodosius the Emperour, (if it were
true hee did so,) was a Capitall Crime. And for the Popes, Gregory 1.
Greg. 2. Zachary, and Leo 3. their Judgments are void, as given in their
own Cause; and the Acts done by them conformably to this Doctrine, are
the greatest Crimes (especially that of Zachary) that are incident to
Humane Nature. And thus much of Power Ecclesiasticall; wherein I had
been more briefe, forbearing to examine these Arguments of Bellarmine,
if they had been his, as a Private man, and not as the Champion of the
Papacy, against all other Christian Princes, and States.



CHAPTER XLIII. OF WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR A MANS RECEPTION INTO THE
KINGDOME OF HEAVEN.




The Difficulty Of Obeying God And Man Both At Once

The most frequent praetext of Sedition, and Civill Warre, in Christian
Common-wealths hath a long time proceeded from a difficulty, not yet
sufficiently resolved, of obeying at once, both God, and Man, then
when their Commandements are one contrary to the other. It is manifest
enough, that when a man receiveth two contrary Commands, and knows that
one of them is Gods, he ought to obey that, and not the other, though
it be the command even of his lawfull Soveraign (whether a Monarch, or
a Soveraign Assembly,) or the command of his Father. The difficulty
therefore consisteth in this, that men when they are commanded in the
name of God, know not in divers Cases, whether the command be from God,
or whether he that commandeth, doe but abuse Gods name for some private
ends of his own. For as there ware in the Church of the Jews, many false
Prophets, that sought reputation with the people, by feigned Dreams, and
Visions; so there have been in all times in the Church of Christ, false
Teachers, that seek reputation with the people, by phantasticall and
false Doctrines; and by such reputation (as is the nature of Ambition,)
to govern them for their private benefit.




Is None To Them That Distinguish Between What Is, And What Is Not

Necessary To Salvation

But this difficulty of obeying both God, and the Civill Soveraign on
earth, to those that can distinguish between what is Necessary, and what
is not Necessary for their Reception into the Kingdome of God, is of no
moment. For if the command of the Civill Soveraign bee such, as that it
may be obeyed, without the forfeiture of life Eternall; not to obey it
is unjust; and the precept of the Apostle takes place; "Servants obey
your Masters in all things;" and, "Children obey your Parents in all
things;" and the precept of our Saviour, "The Scribes and Pharisees sit
in Moses Chaire, All therefore they shall say, that observe, and doe. "
But if the command be such, as cannot be obeyed, without being damned
to Eternall Death, then it were madnesse to obey it, and the Counsell
of our Saviour takes place, (Mat. 10. 28. ) "Fear not those that kill the
body, but cannot kill the soule. " All men therefore that would avoid,
both the punishments that are to be in this world inflicted, for
disobedience to their earthly Soveraign, and those that shall be
inflicted in the world to come for disobedience to God, have need be
taught to distinguish well between what is, and what is not Necessary to
Eternall Salvation.




All That Is Necessary To Salvation Is Contained In Faith And Obedience

All that is NECESSARY to Salvation, is contained in two Vertues, Faith
in Christ, and Obedience to Laws. The latter of these, if it were
perfect, were enough to us. But because wee are all guilty of
disobedience to Gods Law, not onely originally in Adam, but also
actually by our own transgressions, there is required at our hands now,
not onely Obedience for the rest of our time, but also a Remission of
sins for the time past; which Remission is the reward of our Faith
in Christ. That nothing else is Necessarily required to Salvation, is
manifest from this, that the Kingdome of Heaven, is shut to none but
to Sinners; that is to say, to the disobedient, or transgressors of the
Law; nor to them, in case they Repent, and Beleeve all the Articles of
Christian Faith, Necessary to Salvation.




What Obedience Is Necessary;

The Obedience required at our hands by God, that accepteth in all our
actions the Will for the Deed, is a serious Endeavour to Obey him;
and is called also by all such names as signifie that Endeavour. And
therefore Obedience, is sometimes called by the names of Charity, and
Love, because they imply a Will to Obey; and our Saviour himself maketh
our Love to God, and to one another, a Fulfilling of the whole Law: and
sometimes by the name of Righteousnesse; for Righteousnesse is but the
will to give to every one his owne, that is to say, the will to obey
the Laws: and sometimes by the name of Repentance; because to Repent,
implyeth a turning away from sinne, which is the same, with the return
of the will to Obedience. Whosoever therefore unfeignedly desireth
to fulfill the Commandements of God, or repenteth him truely of his
transgressions, or that loveth God with all his heart, and his neighbor
as himself, hath all the Obedience Necessary to his Reception into the
Kingdome of God: For if God should require perfect Innocence, there
could no flesh be saved.




And To What Laws

But what Commandements are those that God hath given us? Are all
those Laws which were given to the Jews by the hand of Moses, the
Commandements of God? If they bee, why are not Christians taught to obey
them? If they be not, what others are so, besides the Law of Nature? For
our Saviour Christ hath not given us new Laws, but Counsell to observe
those wee are subject to; that is to say, the Laws of Nature, and the
Laws of our severall Soveraigns: Nor did he make any new Law to the Jews
in his Sermon on the Mount, but onely expounded the Laws of Moses, to
which they were subject before. The Laws of God therefore are none
but the Laws of Nature, whereof the principall is, that we should
not violate our Faith, that is, a commandement to obey our Civill
Soveraigns, which wee constituted over us, by mutuall pact one with
another. And this Law of God, that commandeth Obedience to the Law
Civill, commandeth by consequence Obedience to all the Precepts of the
Bible, which (as I have proved in the precedent Chapter) is there onely
Law, where the Civill Soveraign hath made it so; and in other places but
Counsell; which a man at his own perill, may without injustice refuse to
obey.




In The Faith Of A Christian, Who Is The Person Beleeved

Knowing now what is the Obedience Necessary to Salvation, and to whom
it is due; we are to consider next concerning Faith, whom, and why we
beleeve; and what are the Articles, or Points necessarily to be beleeved
by them that shall be saved. And first, for the Person whom we beleeve,
because it is impossible to beleeve any Person, before we know what he
saith, it is necessary he be one that wee have heard speak. The Person
therefore, whom Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and the Prophets beleeved,
was God himself, that spake unto them supernaturally: And the Person,
whom the Apostles and Disciples that conversed with Christ beleeved, was
our Saviour himself. But of them, to whom neither God the Father, nor
our Saviour ever spake, it cannot be said, that the Person whom they
beleeved, was God. They beleeved the Apostles, and after them the
Pastors and Doctors of the Church, that recommended to their faith the
History of the Old and New Testament: so that the Faith of Christians
ever since our Saviours time, hath had for foundation, first, the
reputation of their Pastors, and afterward, the authority of those that
made the Old and New Testament to be received for the Rule of Faith;
which none could do but Christian Soveraignes; who are therefore the
Supreme Pastors, and the onely Persons, whom Christians now hear speak
from God; except such as God speaketh to, in these days supernaturally.
But because there be many false Prophets "gone out into the world,"
other men are to examine such Spirits (as St. John advised us, 1
Epistle, Chap. 4. ver. 1. ) "whether they be of God, or not. " And
therefore, seeing the Examination of Doctrines belongeth to the Supreme
Pastor, the Person which all they that have no speciall revelation are
to beleeve, is (in every Common-wealth) the Supreme Pastor, that is to
say, the Civill Soveraigne.




The Causes Of Christian Faith

The causes why men beleeve any Christian Doctrine, are various; For
Faith is the gift of God; and he worketh it in each severall man, by
such wayes, as it seemeth good unto himself. The most ordinary immediate
cause of our beleef, concerning any point of Christian Faith, is, that
wee beleeve the Bible to be the Word of God. But why wee beleeve the
Bible to be the Word of God, is much disputed, as all questions must
needs bee, that are not well stated. For they make not the question
to be, "Why we Beleeve it," but "How wee Know it;" as if Beleeving and
Knowing were all one. And thence while one side ground their Knowledge
upon the Infallibility of the Church, and the other side, on the
Testimony of the Private Spirit, neither side concludeth what it
pretends. For how shall a man know the Infallibility of the Church, but
by knowing first the Infallibility of the Scripture? Or how shall a man
know his own Private spirit to be other than a beleef, grounded upon the
Authority, and Arguments of his Teachers; or upon a Presumption of his
own Gifts? Besides, there is nothing in the Scripture, from which can be
inferred the Infallibility of the Church; much lesse, of any particular
Church; and least of all, the Infallibility of any particular man.




Faith Comes By Hearing

It is manifest, therefore, that Christian men doe not know, but onely
beleeve the Scripture to be the Word of God; and that the means of
making them beleeve which God is pleased to afford men ordinarily, is
according to the way of Nature, that is to say, from their Teachers.
It is the Doctrine of St. Paul concerning Christian Faith in generall,
(Rom. 10. 17. ) "Faith cometh by Hearing," that is, by Hearing our lawfull
Pastors. He saith also (ver. 14,15. of the same Chapter) "How shall
they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a Preacher? and how shall they Preach, except they be sent? "
Whereby it is evident, that the ordinary cause of beleeving that the
Scriptures are the Word of God, is the same with the cause of the
beleeving of all other Articles of our Faith, namely, the Hearing of
those that are by the Law allowed and appointed to Teach us, as our
Parents in their Houses, and our Pastors in the Churches: Which also
is made more manifest by experience. For what other cause can there bee
assigned, why in Christian Common-wealths all men either beleeve, or
at least professe the Scripture to bee the Word of God, and in other
Common-wealths scarce any; but that in Christian Common-wealths they
are taught it from their infancy; and in other places they are taught
otherwise?

But if Teaching be the cause of Faith, why doe not all beleeve? It is
certain therefore that Faith is the gift of God, and hee giveth it to
whom he will. Neverthelesse, because of them to whom he giveth it, he
giveth it by the means of Teachers, the immediate cause of Faith is
Hearing. In a School where many are taught, and some profit, others
profit not, the cause of learning in them that profit, is the Master;
yet it cannot be thence inferred, that learning is not the gift of God.
All good things proceed from God; yet cannot all that have them, say
they are Inspired; for that implies a gift supernaturall, and the
immediate hand of God; which he that pretends to, pretends to be a
Prophet, and is subject to the examination of the Church.

But whether men Know, or Beleeve, or Grant the Scriptures to be the Word
of God; if out of such places of them, as are without obscurity, I
shall shew what Articles of Faith are necessary, and onely necessary for
Salvation, those men must needs Know, Beleeve, or Grant the same.

The Onely Necessary Article Of Christian Faith, The (Unum Necessarium)
Onely Article of Faith, which the Scripture maketh simply Necessary to
Salvation, is this, that JESUS IS THE CHRIST. By the name of Christ, is
understood the King, which God had before promised by the Prophets of
the Old Testament, to send into the world, to reign (over the Jews,
and over such of other nations as should beleeve in him) under himself
eternally; and to give them that eternall life, which was lost by the
sin of Adam. Which when I have proved out of Scripture, I will further
shew when, and in what sense some other Articles may bee also called
Necessary.




Proved From The Scope Of The Evangelists

For Proof that the Beleef of this Article, Jesus Is The Christ, is all
the Faith required to Salvation, my first Argument shall bee from the
Scope of the Evangelists; which was by the description of the life of
our Saviour, to establish that one Article, Jesus Is The Christ. The
summe of St. Matthews Gospell is this, That Jesus was of the stock of
David; Born of a Virgin; which are the Marks of the true Christ: That
the Magi came to worship him as King of the Jews: That Herod for the
same cause sought to kill him: That John Baptist proclaimed him: That
he preached by himselfe, and his Apostles that he was that King; That
he taught the Law, not as a Scribe, but as a man of Authority: That he
cured diseases by his Word onely, and did many other Miracles, which
were foretold the Christ should doe: That he was saluted King when he
entered into Jerusalem: That he fore-warned them to beware of all others
that should pretend to be Christ: That he was taken, accused, and put
to death, for saying, hee was King: That the cause of his condemnation
written on the Crosse, was JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWES.
All which tend to no other end than this, that men should beleeve,
that Jesus Is The Christ. Such therefore was the Scope of St. Matthews
Gospel. But the Scope of all the Evangelists (as may appear by reading
them) was the same. Therefore the Scope of the whole Gospell, was the
establishing of that onely Article. And St. John expressely makes it his
conclusion, John 20. 31. "These things are written, that you may know
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. "




From The Sermons Of The Apostles:

My second Argument is taken from the Subject of the Sermons of the
Apostles, both whilest our Saviour lived on earth, and after his
Ascension. The Apostles in our Saviours time were sent, Luke 9. 2. to
Preach the Kingdome of God: For neither there, nor Mat. 10. 7. giveth he
any Commission to them, other than this, "As ye go, Preach, saying, the
Kingdome of Heaven is at hand;" that is, that Jesus is the Messiah, the
Christ, the King which was to come. That their Preaching also after his
ascension was the same, is manifest out of Acts 17. 6. "They drew (saith
St. Luke) Jason and certain Brethren unto the Rulers of the City,
crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither
also, whom Jason hath received. And these all do contrary to the Decrees
of Caesar, saying, that there is another King, one Jesus:" And out of
the 2. &3. verses of the same Chapter, where it is said, that St. Paul
"as his manner was, went in unto them; and three Sabbath dayes reasoned
with them out of the Scriptures; opening and alledging, that Christ must
needs have suffered, and risen againe from the dead, and that this Jesus
(whom he preached) is Christ. "




From The Easinesse Of The Doctrine:

The third Argument is, from those places of Scripture, by which all the
Faith required to Salvation is declared to be Easie. For if an inward
assent of the mind to all the Doctrines concerning Christian Faith now
taught, (whereof the greatest part are disputed,) were necessary to
Salvation, there would be nothing in the world so hard, as to be a
Christian. The Thief upon the Crosse though repenting, could not have
been saved for saying, "Lord remember me when thou commest into thy
Kingdome;" by which he testified no beleefe of any other Article, but
this, That Jesus Was The King. Nor could it bee said (as it is Mat.
11. 30. ) that "Christs yoke is Easy, and his burthen Light:" Nor that
"Little Children beleeve in him," as it is Matth. 18. 6. Nor could St.
Paul have said (1 Cor. 1. 21. ) "It pleased God by the Foolishnesse of
preaching, to save them that beleeve:" Nor could St. Paul himself have
been saved, much lesse have been so great a Doctor of the Church
so suddenly, that never perhaps thought of Transsubstantiation, nor
Purgatory, nor many other Articles now obtruded.




From Formall And Cleer Texts

The fourth Argument is taken from places expresse, and such as receive
no controversie of Interpretation; as first, John 5. 39. "Search the
Scriptures, for in them yee thinke yee have eternall life; and they are
they that testifie of mee. " Our Saviour here speaketh of the Scriptures
onely of the Old Testament; for the Jews at that time could not search
the Scriptures of the New Testament, which were not written. But the Old
Testament hath nothing of Christ, but the Markes by which men might
know him when hee came; as that he should descend from David, be born at
Bethlehem, and of a Virgin; doe great Miracles, and the like. Therefore
to beleeve that this Jesus was He, was sufficient to eternall life: but
more than sufficient is not Necessary; and consequently no other Article
is required. Again, (John 11. 26. ) "Whosoever liveth and beleeveth in
mee, shall not die eternally," Therefore to beleeve in Christ, is faith
sufficient to eternall life; and consequently no more faith than that
is Necessary, But to beleeve in Jesus, and to beleeve that Jesus is the
Christ, is all one, as appeareth in the verses immediately following.
For when our Saviour (verse 26. ) had said to Martha, "Beleevest thou
this? " she answereth (verse 27. ) "Yea Lord, I beleeve that thou art the
Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world;" Therefore
this Article alone is faith sufficient to life eternall; and more than
sufficient is not Necessary. Thirdly, John 20. 31. "These things are
written that yee might beleeve, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God, and that beleeving yee might have life through his name. " There, to
beleeve that Jesus Is The Christ, is faith sufficient to the obtaining
of life; and therefore no other Article is Necessary. Fourthly, 1 John
4. 2. "Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh, is of God. " And 1 Joh. 5. 1. "whosoever beleeveth that Jesus is
the Christ, is born of God. " And verse 5. "Who is hee that overcommeth
the world, but he that beleeveth that Jesus is the Son of God? " Fiftly,
Act. 8. ver. 36, 37. "See (saith the Eunuch) here is water, what doth
hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou beleevest with all
thy heart thou mayst. And hee answered and said, I beleeve that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. " Therefore this Article beleeved, Jesus Is The
Christ, is sufficient to Baptisme, that is to say, to our Reception into
the Kingdome of God, and by consequence, onely Necessary. And generally
in all places where our Saviour saith to any man, "Thy faith hath saved
thee," the cause he saith it, is some Confession, which directly, or by
consequence, implyeth a beleef, that Jesus Is The Christ.




From That It Is The Foundation Of All Other Articles

The last Argument is from the places, where this Article is made the
Foundation of Faith: For he that holdeth the Foundation shall bee saved.
Which places are first, Mat. 24. 23. "If any man shall say unto you, Loe,
here is Christ, or there, beleeve it not, for there shall arise false
Christs, and false Prophets, and shall shew great signes and wonders,
&c. " Here wee see, this Article Jesus Is The Christ, must bee held,
though hee that shall teach the contrary should doe great miracles. The
second place is Gal. 1. 8. "Though we, or an Angell from Heaven preach
any other Gospell unto you, than that wee have preached unto you, let
him bee accursed. " But the Gospell which Paul, and the other Apostles,
preached, was onely this Article, that Jesus Is The Christ; Therefore
for the Beleef of this Article, we are to reject the Authority of
an Angell from heaven; much more of any mortall man, if he teach the
contrary. This is therefore the Fundamentall Article of Christian Faith.
A third place is, 1 Joh. 4. 1. "Beloved, beleeve not every spirit. Hereby
yee shall know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesseth that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. " By which it is evident,
that this Article, is the measure, and rule, by which to estimate,
and examine all other Articles; and is therefore onely Fundamentall.
A fourth is, Matt. 16. 18. where after St. Peter had professed this
Article, saying to our Saviour, "Thou art Christ the Son of the living
God," Our Saviour answered, "Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will
build my Church:" from whence I inferre, that this Article is that,
on which all other Doctrines of the Church are built, as on their
Foundation. A fift is (1 Cor. 3. ver. 11, 12, &c. ) "Other Foundation can
no man lay, than that which is laid, Jesus is the Christ. Now if any man
build upon this Foundation, Gold, Silver, pretious Stones, Wood, Hay,
Stubble; Every mans work shall be made manifest; For the Day shall
declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try
every mans work, of what sort it is. If any mans work abide, which he
hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward: If any mans work shall
bee burnt, he shall suffer losse; but he himself shall be saved, yet so
as by fire. " Which words, being partly plain and easie to understand,
and partly allegoricall and difficult; out of that which is plain, may
be inferred, that Pastors that teach this Foundation, that Jesus Is The
Christ, though they draw from it false consequences, (which all men are
sometimes subject to,) they may neverthelesse bee saved; much more that
they may bee saved, who being no Pastors, but Hearers, beleeve that
which is by their lawfull Pastors taught them. Therefore the beleef of
this Article is sufficient; and by consequence there is no other Article
of Faith Necessarily required to Salvation.

Now for the part which is Allegoricall, as "That the fire shall try
every mans work," and that "They shall be saved, but so as by fire,"
or "through fire," (for the originall is dia puros,) it maketh nothing
against this conclusion which I have drawn from the other words, that
are plain. Neverthelesse, because upon this place there hath been an
argument taken, to prove the fire of Purgatory, I will also here offer
you my conjecture concerning the meaning of this triall of Doctrines,
and saving of men as by Fire. The Apostle here seemeth to allude to
the words of the Prophet Zachary, Ch. 13. 8,9. who speaking of the
Restauration of the Kingdome of God, saith thus, "Two parts therein
shall be cut off, and die, but the third shall be left therein; and
I will bring the third part through the Fire, and will refine them as
Silver is refined, and will try them as Gold is tryed; they shall call
on the name of the Lord, and I will hear them. " The day of Judgment, is
the day of the Restauration of the Kingdome of God; and at that day
it is, that St. Peter tells us (2 Pet. 3. v. 7, 10, 12. ) shall be the
Conflagration of the world, wherein the wicked shall perish; but the
remnant which God will save, shall passe through that Fire, unhurt,
and be therein (as Silver and Gold are refined by the fire from their
drosse) tryed, and refined from their Idolatry, and be made to call upon
the name of the true God. Alluding whereto St.
Paul here saith, that The
Day (that is, the Day of Judgment, the Great Day of our Saviours comming
to restore the Kingdome of God in Israel) shall try every mans doctrine,
by Judging, which are Gold, Silver, Pretious Stones, Wood, Hay, Stubble;
And then they that have built false Consequences on the true Foundation,
shall see their Doctrines condemned; neverthelesse they themselves
shall be saved, and passe unhurt through this universall Fire, and live
eternally, to call upon the name of the true and onely God. In which
sense there is nothing that accordeth not with the rest of Holy
Scripture, or any glimpse of the fire of Purgatory.




In What Sense Other Articles May Be Called Necessary

But a man may here aske, whether it bee not as necessary to Salvation,
to beleeve, that God is Omnipotent; Creator of the world; that Jesus
Christ is risen; and that all men else shall rise again from the dead
at the last day; as to beleeve, that Jesus Is The Christ. To which I
answer, they are; and so are many more Articles: but they are such, as
are contained in this one, and may be deduced from it, with more, or
lesse difficulty. For who is there that does not see, that they
who beleeve Jesus to be the Son of the God of Israel, and that the
Israelites had for God the Omnipotent Creator of all things, doe therein
also beleeve, that God is the Omnipotent Creator of all things? Or how
can a man beleeve, that Jesus is the King that shall reign eternally,
unlesse hee beleeve him also risen again from the dead? For a dead man
cannot exercise the Office of a King. In summe, he that holdeth this
Foundation, Jesus Is The Christ, holdeth Expressely all that hee
seeth rightly deduced from it, and Implicitely all that is consequent
thereunto, though he have not skill enough to discern the consequence.
And therefore it holdeth still good, that the beleef of this one Article
is sufficient faith to obtaine remission of sinnes to the Penitent, and
consequently to bring them into the Kingdome of Heaven.




That Faith, And Obedience Are Both Of Them Necessary To Salvation

Now that I have shewn, that all the Obedience required to Salvation,
consisteth in the will to obey the Law of God, that is to say, in
Repentance; and all the Faith required to the same, is comprehended in
the beleef of this Article, Jesus Is The Christ; I will further alledge
those places of the Gospell, that prove, that all that is Necessary to
Salvation is contained in both these joined together. The men to whom
St. Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, next after the Ascension
of our Saviour, asked him, and the rest of the Apostles, saying, (Act.
2. 37. ) "Men and Brethren what shall we doe? " to whom St. Peter answered
(in the next verse) "Repent, and be Baptized every one of you, for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. "
Therefore Repentance, and Baptisme, that is, beleeving that Jesus Is The
Christ, is all that is Necessary to Salvation. Again, our Saviour being
asked by a certain Ruler, (Luke 18. 18. ) "What shall I doe to inherit
eternall life? " Answered (verse 20) "Thou knowest the Commandements,
Doe not commit Adultery, Doe not Kill, Doe not Steal, Doe not bear false
witnesse, Honor thy Father, and thy Mother;" which when he said he had
observed, our Saviour added, "Sell all thou hast, give it to the Poor,
and come and follow me:" which was as much as to say, Relye on me that
am the King: Therefore to fulfill the Law, and to beleeve that Jesus
is the King, is all that is required to bring a man to eternall life.
Thirdly, St. Paul saith (Rom. 1. 17. ) "The Just shall live by Faith;" not
every one, but the Just; therefore Faith and Justice (that is, the Will
To Be Just, or Repentance) are all that is Necessary to life eternall.
And (Mark 1. 15. ) our Saviour preached, saying, "The time is fulfilled,
and the Kingdom of God is at hand, Repent and Beleeve the Evangile,"
that is, the Good news that the Christ was come. Therefore to Repent,
and to Beleeve that Jesus is the Christ, is all that is required to
Salvation.




What Each Of Them Contributes Thereunto

Seeing then it is Necessary that Faith, and Obedience (implyed in the
word Repentance) do both concurre to our Salvation; the question
by which of the two we are Justified, is impertinently disputed.
Neverthelesse, it will not be impertinent, to make manifest in what
manner each of them contributes thereunto; and in what sense it is said,
that we are to be Justified by the one, and by the other. And first,
if by Righteousnesse be understood the Justice of the Works themselves,
there is no man that can be saved; for there is none that hath not
transgressed the Law of God. And therefore when wee are said to be
Justified by Works, it is to be understood of the Will, which God doth
alwaies accept for the Work it selfe, as well in good, as in evill men.
And in this sense onely it is, that a man is called Just, or Unjust; and
that his Justice Justifies him, that is, gives him the title, in Gods
acceptation, of Just; and renders him capable of Living By His Faith,
which before he was not. So that Justice Justifies in that that sense,
in which to Justifie, is the same that to Denominate A Man Just; and not
in the signification of discharging the Law; whereby the punishment of
his sins should be unjust.

But a man is then also said to be Justified, when his Plea, though in
it selfe unsufficient, is accepted; as when we Plead our Will, our
Endeavour to fulfill the Law, and Repent us of our failings, and God
accepteth it for the Performance it selfe: And because God accepteth not
the Will for the Deed, but onely in the Faithfull; it is therefore Faith
that makes good our Plea; and in this sense it is, that Faith onely
Justifies: So that Faith and Obedience are both Necessary to Salvation;
yet in severall senses each of them is said to Justifie.




Obedience To God And To The Civill Soveraign Not Inconsistent

Whether Christian, Having thus shewn what is Necessary to Salvation; it
is not hard to reconcile our Obedience to the Civill Soveraign; who is
either Christian, or Infidel. If he bee a Christian, he alloweth the
beleefe of this Article, that Jesus Is The Christ; and of all the
Articles that are contained in, or are evident consequence deduced from
it: which is all the Faith Necessary to Salvation. And because he is a
Soveraign, he requireth Obedience to all his owne, that is, to all the
Civill Laws; in which also are contained all the Laws of Nature, that
is, all the Laws of God: for besides the Laws of Nature, and the Laws of
the Church, which are part of the Civill Law, (for the Church that
can make Laws is the Common-wealth,) there bee no other Laws Divine.
Whosoever therefore obeyeth his Christian Soveraign, is not thereby
hindred, neither from beleeving, nor from obeying God. But suppose that
a Christian King should from this Foundation, Jesus Is The Christ, draw
some false consequences, that is to say, make some superstructions of
Hay, or Stubble, and command the teaching of the same; yet seeing St.
Paul says, he shal be saved; much more shall he be saved, that teacheth
them by his command; and much more yet, he that teaches not, but onely
beleeves his lawfull Teacher. And in case a Subject be forbidden by
the Civill Soveraign to professe some of those his opinions, upon
what grounds can he disobey? Christian Kings may erre in deducing a
Consequence, but who shall Judge? Shall a private man Judge, when the
question is of his own obedience? or shall any man Judg but he that is
appointed thereto by the Church, that is, by the Civill Soveraign that
representeth it? or if the Pope, or an Apostle Judge, may he not erre
in deducing of a consequence? did not one of the two, St. Peter, or St.
Paul erre in a superstructure, when St. Paul withstood St. Peter to his
face? There can therefore be no contradiction between the Laws of God,
and the Laws of a Christian Common-wealth.




Or Infidel

And when the Civill Soveraign is an Infidel, every one of his own
Subjects that resisteth him, sinneth against the Laws of God (for such
as are the Laws of Nature,) and rejecteth the counsell of the Apostles,
that admonisheth all Christians to obey their Princes, and all Children
and Servants to obey they Parents, and Masters, in all things. And for
their Faith, it is internall, and invisible; They have the licence that
Naaman had, and need not put themselves into danger for it. But if they
do, they ought to expect their reward in Heaven, and not complain of
their Lawfull Soveraign; much lesse make warre upon him. For he that
is not glad of any just occasion of Martyrdome, has not the faith be
professeth, but pretends it onely, to set some colour upon his own
contumacy. But what Infidel King is so unreasonable, as knowing he has
a Subject, that waiteth for the second comming of Christ, after the
present world shall be burnt, and intendeth then to obey him (which is
the intent of beleeving that Jesus is the Christ,) and in the mean time
thinketh himself bound to obey the Laws of that Infidel King, (which
all Christians are obliged in conscience to doe,) to put to death, or to
persecute such a Subject?

And thus much shall suffice, concerning the Kingdome of God, and Policy
Ecclesiasticall. Wherein I pretend not to advance any Position of
my own, but onely to shew what are the Consequences that seem to me
deducible from the Principles of Christian Politiques, (which are the
holy Scriptures,) in confirmation of the Power of Civill Soveraigns, and
the Duty of their Subjects. And in the allegation of Scripture, I have
endeavoured to avoid such Texts as are of obscure, or controverted
Interpretation; and to alledge none, but is such sense as is most plain,
and agreeable to the harmony and scope of the whole Bible; which was
written for the re-establishment of the Kingdome of God in Christ. For
it is not the bare Words, but the Scope of the writer that giveth the
true light, by which any writing is to bee interpreted; and they that
insist upon single Texts, without considering the main Designe, can
derive no thing from them cleerly; but rather by casting atomes of
Scripture, as dust before mens eyes, make every thing more obscure than
it is; an ordinary artifice of those that seek not the truth, but their
own advantage.



CHAPTER XLIV. OF SPIRITUALL DARKNESSE FROM MISINTERPRETATION OF
SCRIPTURE




The Kingdome Of Darknesse What

Besides these Soveraign Powers, Divine, and Humane, of which I have
hitherto discoursed, there is mention in Scripture of another Power,
namely, (Eph. 6. 12. ), that of "the Rulers of the Darknesse of this
world," (Mat. 12. 26. ), "the Kingdome of Satan," and, (Mat. 9. 34. ), "the
Principality of Beelzebub over Daemons," that is to say, over Phantasmes
that appear in the Air: For which cause Satan is also called (Eph. 2.
2. ) "the Prince of the Power of the Air;" and (because he ruleth in the
darknesse of this world) (Joh. 16. 11. ) "The Prince of this world;" And
in consequence hereunto, they who are under his Dominion, in opposition
to the faithfull (who are the Children Of The Light) are called the
Children Of Darknesse. For seeing Beelzebub is Prince of Phantasmes,
Inhabitants of his Dominion of Air and Darknesse, the Children of
Darknesse, and these Daemons, Phantasmes, or Spirits of Illusion,
signifie allegorically the same thing. This considered, the Kingdome
of Darknesse, as it is set forth in these, and other places of the
Scripture, is nothing else but a "Confederacy of Deceivers, that to
obtain dominion over men in this present world, endeavour by dark, and
erroneous Doctrines, to extinguish in them the Light, both of Nature,
and of the Gospell; and so to dis-prepare them for the Kingdome of God
to come. "




The Church Not Yet Fully Freed Of Darknesse

As men that are utterly deprived from their Nativity, of the light
of the bodily Eye, have no Idea at all, of any such light; and no man
conceives in his imagination any greater light, than he hath at some
time, or other perceived by his outward Senses: so also is it of the
light of the Gospel, and of the light of the Understanding, that no man
can conceive there is any greater degree of it, than that which he hath
already attained unto. And from hence it comes to passe, that men
have no other means to acknowledge their owne Darknesse, but onely by
reasoning from the un-forseen mischances, that befall them in their
ways; The Darkest part of the Kingdome of Satan, is that which is
without the Church of God; that is to say, amongst them that beleeve not
in Jesus Christ. But we cannot say, that therefore the Church enjoyeth
(as the land of Goshen) all the light, which to the performance of
the work enjoined us by God, is necessary. Whence comes it, that in
Christendome there has been, almost from the time of the Apostles,
such justling of one another out of their places, both by forraign,
and Civill war? such stumbling at every little asperity of their own
fortune, and every little eminence of that of other men? and such
diversity of ways in running to the same mark, Felicity, if it be not
Night amongst us, or at least a Mist? wee are therefore yet in the Dark.




Four Causes Of Spirituall Darknesse

The Enemy has been here in the Night of our naturall Ignorance, and sown
the tares of Spirituall Errors; and that, First, by abusing, and
putting out the light of the Scriptures: For we erre, not knowing the
Scriptures. Secondly, by introducing the Daemonology of the Heathen
Poets, that is to say, their fabulous Doctrine concerning Daemons, which
are but Idols, or Phantasms of the braine, without any reall nature of
their own, distinct from humane fancy; such as are dead mens Ghosts, and
Fairies, and other matter of old Wives tales. Thirdly, by mixing with
the Scripture divers reliques of the Religion, and much of the vain and
erroneous Philosophy of the Greeks, especially of Aristotle. Fourthly,
by mingling with both these, false, or uncertain Traditions, and
fained, or uncertain History. And so we come to erre, by "giving heed
to seducing Spirits," and the Daemonology of such "as speak lies in
Hypocrisie," (or as it is in the Originall, 1 Tim. 4. 1,2. "of those that
play the part of lyars") "with a seared conscience," that is, contrary
to their own knowledge. Concerning the first of these, which is the
Seducing of men by abuse of Scripture, I intend to speak briefly in this
Chapter.




Errors From Misinterpreting The Scriptures, Concerning The Kingdome

Of God

The greatest, and main abuse of Scripture, and to which almost all the
rest are either consequent, or subservient, is the wresting of it, to
prove that the Kingdome of God, mentioned so often in the Scripture, is
the present Church, or multitude of Christian men now living, or that
being dead, are to rise again at the last day: whereas the Kingdome of
God was first instituted by the Ministery of Moses, over the Jews onely;
who were therefore called his Peculiar People; and ceased afterward, in
the election of Saul, when they refused to be governed by God any more,
and demanded a King after the manner of the nations; which God himself
consented unto, as I have more at large proved before, in the 35.
Chapter. After that time, there was no other Kingdome of God in the
world, by any Pact, or otherwise, than he ever was, is, and shall be
King, of all men, and of all creatures, as governing according to his
Will, by his infinite Power. Neverthelesse, he promised by his Prophets
to restore this his Government to them again, when the time he hath in
his secret counsell appointed for it shall bee fully come, and when they
shall turn unto him by repentance, and amendment of life; and not
onely so, but he invited also the Gentiles to come in, and enjoy the
happinesse of his Reign, on the same conditions of conversion and
repentance; and hee promised also to send his Son into the world, to
expiate the sins of them all by his death, and to prepare them by his
Doctrine, to receive him at his second coming: Which second coming not
yet being, the Kingdome of God is not yet come, and wee are not now
under any other Kings by Pact, but our Civill Soveraigns; saving onely,
that Christian men are already in the Kingdome of Grace, in as much as
they have already the Promise of being received at his comming againe.




As That The Kingdome Of God Is The Present Church

Consequent to this Errour, that the present Church is Christs Kingdome,
there ought to be some one Man, or Assembly, by whose mouth our Saviour
(now in heaven) speaketh, giveth law, and which representeth his person
to all Christians, or divers Men, or divers Assemblies that doe the same
to divers parts of Christendome. This power Regal under Christ, being
challenged, universally by that Pope, and in particular Common-wealths
by Assemblies of the Pastors of the place, (when the Scripture gives it
to none but to Civill Soveraigns,) comes to be so passionately disputed,
that it putteth out the Light of Nature, and causeth so great a
Darknesse in mens understanding, that they see not who it is to whom
they have engaged their obedience.




And That The Pope Is His Vicar Generall

Consequent to this claim of the Pope to Vicar Generall of Christ in the
present Church, (supposed to be that Kingdom of his, to which we are
addressed in the Gospel,) is the Doctrine, that it is necessary for a
Christian King, to receive his Crown by a Bishop; as if it were from
that Ceremony, that he derives the clause of Dei Gratia in his title;
and that then onely he is made King by the favour of God, when he is
crowned by the authority of Gods universall Viceregent on earth; and
that every Bishop whosoever be his Soveraign, taketh at his Consecration
an oath of absolute Obedience to the Pope, Consequent to the same, is
the Doctrine of the fourth Councell of Lateran, held under Pope Innocent
the third, (Chap. 3. De Haereticis. ) "That if a King at the Popes
admonition, doe not purge his Kingdome of Haeresies, and being
excommunicate for the same, doe not give satisfaction within a year,
his Subjects are absolved of the bond of their obedience. " Where, by
Haeresies are understood all opinions which the Church of Rome hath
forbidden to be maintained. And by this means, as often as there is
any repugnancy between the Politicall designes of the Pope, and other
Christian Princes, as there is very often, there ariseth such a Mist
amongst their Subjects, that they know not a stranger that thrusteth
himself into the throne of their lawfull Prince, from him whom they
had themselves placed there; and in this Darknesse of mind, are made to
fight one against another, without discerning their enemies from their
friends, under the conduct of another mans ambition.




And That The Pastors Are The Clergy

From the same opinion, that the present Church is the Kingdome of God,
it proceeds that Pastours, Deacons, and all other Ministers of the
Church, take the name to themselves of the Clergy, giving to other
Christians the name of Laity, that is, simply People. For Clergy
signifies those, whose maintenance is that Revenue, which God having
reserved to himselfe during his Reigne over the Israelites, assigned
to the tribe of Levi (who were to be his publique Ministers, and had no
portion of land set them out to live on, as their brethren) to be their
inheritance. The Pope therefore, (pretending the present Church to be,
as the Realme of Israel, the Kingdome of God) challenging to himselfe
and his subordinate Ministers, the like revenue, as the Inheritance of
God, the name of Clergy was sutable to that claime. And thence it is,
that Tithes, or other tributes paid to the Levites, as Gods Right,
amongst the Israelites, have a long time been demanded, and taken of
Christians, by Ecclesiastiques, Jure Divino, that is, in Gods Right. By
which meanes, the people every where were obliged to a double tribute;
one to the State, another to the Clergy; whereof, that to the Clergy,
being the tenth of their revenue, is double to that which a King of
Athens (and esteemed a Tyrant) exacted of his subjects for the defraying
of all publique charges: For he demanded no more but the twentieth part;
and yet abundantly maintained therewith the Commonwealth. And in the
Kingdome of the Jewes, during the Sacerdotall Reigne of God, the Tithes
and Offerings were the whole Publique Revenue.

From the same mistaking of the present Church for the Kingdom of God,
came in the distinction betweene the Civill and the Canon Laws: The
civil Law being the acts of Soveraigns in their own Dominions, and
the Canon Law being the Acts of the Pope in the same Dominions. Which
Canons, though they were but Canons, that is, Rules Propounded, and but
voluntarily received by Christian Princes, till the translation of
the Empire to Charlemain; yet afterwards, as the power of the Pope
encreased, became Rules Commanded, and the Emperours themselves (to
avoyd greater mischiefes, which the people blinded might be led into)
were forced to let them passe for Laws.

From hence it is, that in all Dominions, where the Popes Ecclesiasticall
power is entirely received, Jewes, Turkes, and Gentiles, are in the
Roman Church tolerated in their Religion, as farre forth, as in the
exercise and profession thereof they offend not against the civill
power: whereas in a Christian, though a stranger, not to be of the Roman
Religion, is Capitall; because the Pope pretendeth that all Christians
are his Subjects. For otherwise it were as much against the law of
Nations, to persecute a Christian stranger, for professing the Religion
of his owne country, as an Infidell; or rather more, in as much as they
that are not against Christ, are with him.

From the same it is, that in every Christian State there are certaine
men, that are exempt, by Ecclesiasticall liberty, from the tributes, and
from the tribunals of the Civil State; for so are the secular Clergy,
besides Monks and Friars, which in many places, bear so great a
proportion to the common people, as if need were, there might be raised
out of them alone, an Army, sufficient for any warre the Church militant
should imploy them in, against their owne, or other Princes.




Error From Mistaking Consecration For Conjuration

A second generall abuse of Scripture, is the turning of Consecration
into Conjuration, or Enchantment. To Consecrate, is in Scripture, to
Offer, Give, or Dedicate, in pious and decent language and gesture, a
man, or any other thing to God, by separating of it from common use;
that is to say, to Sanctifie, or make it Gods, and to be used only by
those, whom God hath appointed to be his Publike Ministers, (as I have
already proved at large in the 35. Chapter;) and thereby to change, not
the thing Consecrated, but onely the use of it, from being Profane
and common, to be Holy, and peculiar to Gods service. But when by such
words, the nature of qualitie of the thing it selfe, is pretended to be
changed, it is not Consecration, but either an extraordinary worke of
God, or a vaine and impious Conjuration. But seeing (for the frequency
of pretending the change of Nature in their Consecrations,) it cannot
be esteemed a work extraordinary, it is no other than a Conjuration or
Incantation, whereby they would have men to beleeve an alteration of
Nature that is not, contrary to the testimony of mans Sight, and of all
the rest of his Senses. As for example, when the Priest, in stead of
Consecrating Bread and Wine to Gods peculiar service in the Sacrament of
the Lords Supper, (which is but a separation of it from the common use,
to signifie, that is, to put men in mind of their Redemption, by the
Passion of Christ, whose body was broken, and blood shed upon the Crosse
for our transgressions,) pretends, that by saying of the words of our
Saviour, "This is my Body," and "This is my Blood," the nature of Bread
is no more there, but his very Body; notwithstanding there appeared not
to the Sight, or other Sense of the Receiver, any thing that appeareth
not before the Consecration. The Egyptian Conjurers, that are said
to have turned their Rods to Serpents, and the Water into Bloud, are
thought but to have deluded the senses of the Spectators by a false shew
of things, yet are esteemed Enchanters: But what should wee have thought
of them, if there had appeared in their Rods nothing like a Serpent, and
in the Water enchanted, nothing like Bloud, nor like any thing else but
Water, but that they had faced down the King, that they were Serpents
that looked like Rods, and that it was Bloud that seemed Water? That
had been both Enchantment, and Lying. And yet in this daily act of
the Priest, they doe the very same, by turning the holy words into the
manner of a Charme, which produceth nothing now to the Sense; but they
face us down, that it hath turned the Bread into a Man; nay more, into
a God; and require men to worship it, as if it were our Saviour himself
present God and Man, and thereby to commit most grosse Idolatry. For if
it bee enough to excuse it of Idolatry, to say it is no more Bread, but
God; why should not the same excuse serve the Egyptians, in case they
had the faces to say, the Leeks, and Onyons they worshipped, were
not very Leeks, and Onyons, but a Divinity under their Species, or
likenesse. The words, "This is my Body," are aequivalent to these,
"This signifies, or represents my Body;" and it is an ordinary figure of
Speech: but to take it literally, is an abuse; nor though so taken, can
it extend any further, than to the Bread which Christ himself with his
own hands Consecrated. For hee never said, that of what Bread soever,
any Priest whatsoever, should say, "This is my Body," or, "This is
Christs Body," the same should presently be transubstantiated. Nor did
the Church of Rome ever establish this Transubstantiation, till the time
of Innocent the third; which was not above 500. years agoe, when the
Power of Popes was at the Highest, and the Darknesse of the time grown
so great, as men discerned not the Bread that was given them to eat,
especially when it was stamped with the figure of Christ upon the
Crosse, as if they would have men beleeve it were Transubstantiated, not
onely into the Body of Christ, but also into the Wood of his Crosse, and
that they did eat both together in the Sacrament.




Incantation In The Ceremonies Of Baptisme

The like incantation, in stead of Consecration, is used also in the
Sacrament of Baptisme: Where the abuse of Gods name in each severall
Person, and in the whole Trinity, with the sign of the Crosse at each
name, maketh up the Charm: As first, when they make the Holy water, the
Priest saith, "I Conjure thee, thou Creature of Water, in the name of
God the Father Almighty, and in the name of Jesus Christ his onely Son
our Lord, and in vertue of the Holy Ghost, that thou become Conjured
water, to drive away all the Powers of the Enemy, and to eradicate, and
supplant the Enemy, &c. " And the same in the Benediction of the Salt
to be mingled with it; "That thou become Conjured Salt, that all
Phantasmes, and Knavery of the Devills fraud may fly and depart from the
place wherein thou art sprinkled; and every unclean Spirit bee Conjured
by Him that shall come to judge the quicke and the dead. " The same in
the Benediction of the Oyle. "That all the Power of the Enemy, all the
Host of the Devill, all Assaults and Phantasmes of Satan, may be
driven away by this Creature of Oyle. " And for the Infant that is to be
Baptized, he is subject to many Charms; First, at the Church dore the
Priest blows thrice in the Childs face, and sayes, "Goe out of him
unclean Spirit, and give place to the Holy Ghost the Comforter. " As
if all Children, till blown on by the Priest were Daemoniaques: Again,
before his entrance into the Church, he saith as before, "I Conjure
thee, &c. to goe out, and depart from this Servant of God:" And again
the same Exorcisme is repeated once more before he be Baptized. These,
and some other Incantations, and Consecrations, in administration of the
Sacraments of Baptisme, and the Lords Supper; wherein every thing that
serveth to those holy men (except the unhallowed Spittle of the Priest)
hath some set form of Exorcisme.




In Marriage, In Visitation Of The Sick, And In Consecration Of Places

Nor are the other rites, as of Marriage, of Extreme Unction, of
Visitation of the Sick, of Consecrating Churches, and Church-yards, and
the like, exempt from Charms; in as much as there is in them the use of
Enchanted Oyle, and Water, with the abuse of the Crosse, and of the holy
word of David, "Asperges me Domine Hyssopo," as things of efficacy to
drive away Phantasmes, and Imaginery Spirits.




Errors From Mistaking Eternall Life, And Everlasting Death

Another generall Error, is from the Misinterpretation of the words
Eternall Life, Everlasting Death, and the Second Death. For though we
read plainly in Holy Scripture, that God created Adam in an estate of
Living for Ever, which was conditionall, that is to say, if he disobeyed
not his Commandement; which was not essentiall to Humane Nature, but
consequent to the vertue of the Tree of Life; whereof hee had liberty
to eat, as long as hee had not sinned; and that hee was thrust out of
Paradise after he had sinned, lest hee should eate thereof, and live for
ever; and that Christs Passion is a Discharge of sin to all that beleeve
on him; and by consequence, a restitution of Eternall Life, to all the
Faithfull, and to them onely: yet the Doctrine is now, and hath been a
long time far otherwise; namely, that every man hath Eternity of Life by
Nature, in as much as his Soul is Immortall: So that the flaming Sword
at the entrance of Paradise, though it hinder a man from coming to the
Tree of Life, hinders him not from the Immortality which God took from
him for his Sin; nor makes him to need the sacrificing of Christ, for
the recovering of the same; and consequently, not onely the faithfull
and righteous, but also the wicked, and the Heathen, shall enjoy
Eternall Life, without any Death at all; much lesse a Second, and
Everlasting Death. To salve this, it is said, that by Second, and
Everlasting Death, is meant a Second, and Everlasting Life, but in
Torments; a Figure never used, but in this very Case.

All which Doctrine is founded onely on some of the obscurer places of
the New Testament; which neverthelesse, the whole scope of the Scripture
considered, are cleer enough in a different sense, and unnecessary to
the Christian Faith. For supposing that when a man dies, there remaineth
nothing of him but his carkasse; cannot God that raised inanimated dust
and clay into a living creature by his Word, as easily raise a dead
carkasse to life again, and continue him alive for Ever, or make him
die again, by another Word? The Soule in Scripture, signifieth alwaies,
either the Life, or the Living Creature; and the Body and Soule jointly,
the Body Alive. In the fift day of the Creation, God said, Let the water
produce Reptile Animae Viventis, the creeping thing that hath in it a
Living Soule; the English translate it, "that hath Life:" And again,
God created Whales, "& omnem animam viventem;" which in the English is,
"every living Creature:" And likewise of Man, God made him of the dust
of the earth, and breathed in his face the breath of Life, "& factus est
Homo in animam viventem," that is, "and Man was made a Living Creature;"
And after Noah came out of the Arke, God saith, hee will no more smite
"omnem animam viventem," that is "every Living Creature;" And Deut.
12. 23. "Eate not the Bloud, for the Bloud is the Soule;" that is
"the Life. " From which places, if by Soule were meant a Substance
Incorporeall, with an existence separated from the Body, it might as
well be inferred of any other living Creature, as of Man. But that
the Souls of the Faithfull, are not of their own Nature, but by Gods
speciall Grace, to remaine in their bodies, from the Resurrection to
all Eternity, I have already I think sufficiently proved out of the
Scriptures, in the 38. Chapter. And for the places of the New Testament,
where it is said that any man shall be cast Body and Soul into Hell
fire, it is no more than Body and Life; that is to say, they shall be
cast alive into the perpetuall fire of Gehenna.




As The Doctrine Of Purgatory, And Exorcismes, And Invocation Of Saints

This window it is, that gives entrance to the Dark Doctrine, first, of
Eternall Torments; and afterwards of Purgatory, and consequently of the
walking abroad, especially in places Consecrated, Solitary, or Dark, of
the Ghosts of men deceased; and thereby to the pretences of Exorcisme
and Conjuration of Phantasmes; as also of Invocation of men dead; and to
the Doctrine of Indulgences; that is to say, of exemption for a time,
or for ever, from the fire of Purgatory, wherein these Incorporeall
Substances are pretended by burning to be cleansed, and made fit
for Heaven. For men being generally possessed before the time of our
Saviour, by contagion of the Daemonology of the Greeks, of an opinion,
that the Souls of men were substances distinct from their Bodies, and
therefore that when the Body was dead, the Soule of every man, whether
godly, or wicked, must subsist somewhere by vertue of its own nature,
without acknowledging therein any supernaturall gift of Gods; the
Doctors of the Church doubted a long time, what was the place, which
they were to abide in, till they should be re-united to their Bodies in
the Resurrection; supposing for a while, they lay under the Altars: but
afterward the Church of Rome found it more profitable, to build for them
this place of Purgatory; which by some other Churches in this later age,
has been demolished.




The Texts Alledged For The Doctrines Aforementioned Have Been Answered

Before

Let us now consider, what texts of Scripture seem most to confirm these
three generall Errors, I have here touched. As for those which Cardinall
Bellarmine hath alledged, for the present Kingdome of God administred by
the Pope, (than which there are none that make a better show of proof,)
I have already answered them; and made it evident, that the Kingdome
of God, instituted by Moses, ended in the election of Saul: After which
time the Priest of his own authority never deposed any King. That which
the High Priest did to Athaliah, was not done in his own right, but in
the right of the young King Joash her Son: But Solomon in his own right
deposed the High Priest Abiathar, and set up another in his place. The
most difficult place to answer, of all those than can be brought,
to prove the Kingdome of God by Christ is already in this world, is
alledged, not by Bellarmine, nor any other of the Church of Rome; but
by Beza; that will have it to begin from the Resurrection of Christ.
But whether hee intend thereby, to entitle the Presbytery to the Supreme
Power Ecclesiasticall in the Common-wealth of Geneva, (and consequently
to every Presbytery in every other Common-wealth,) or to Princes,
and other Civill Soveraignes, I doe not know. For the Presbytery hath
challenged the power to Excommunicate their owne Kings, and to bee the
Supreme Moderators in Religion, in the places where they have that form
of Church government, no lesse then the Pope challengeth it universally.




Answer To The Text On Which Beza Infereth

That The Kingdome Of Christ Began At The Resurrection The words are
(Marke 9. 1. ) "Verily, I say unto you, that there be some of them that
stand here, which shall not tast of death, till they have seene the
Kingdome of God come with power. " Which words, if taken grammatically,
make it certaine, that either some of those men that stood by Christ at
that time, are yet alive; or else, that the Kingdome of God must be now
in this present world. And then there is another place more difficult:
For when the Apostles after our Saviours Resurrection, and immediately
before his Ascension, asked our Saviour, saying, (Acts. 1. 6. ) "Wilt thou
at this time restore again the Kingdome to Israel," he answered them,
"It is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which the Father
hath put in his own power; But ye shall receive power by the comming of
the Holy Ghost upon you, and yee shall be my (Martyrs) witnesses both in
Jerusalem, & in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part
of the Earth:" Which is as much as to say, My Kingdome is not yet come,
nor shall you foreknow when it shall come, for it shall come as a theefe
in the night; But I will send you the Holy Ghost, and by him you shall
have power to beare witnesse to all the world (by your preaching) of
my Resurrection, and the workes I have done, and the doctrine I have
taught, that they may beleeve in me, and expect eternall life, at my
comming againe: How does this agree with the comming of Christs Kingdome
at the Resurrection? And that which St. Paul saies (1 Thessal. 1. 9, 10. )
"That they turned from Idols, to serve the living and true God, and
to waite for his Sonne from Heaven:" Where to waite for his Sonne from
Heaven, is to wait for his comming to be King in power; which were
not necessary, if this Kingdome had beene then present. Againe, if the
Kingdome of God began (as Beza on that place (Mark 9. 1. ) would have it)
at the Resurrection; what reason is there for Christians ever since the
Resurrection to say in their prayers, "Let thy Kingdome Come"? It
is therefore manifest, that the words of St. Mark are not so to be
interpreted. There be some of them that stand here (saith our Saviour)
that shall not tast of death till they have seen the Kingdome of God
come in power. If then this Kingdome were to come at the Resurrection
of Christ, why is it said, "some of them" rather than all? For they all
lived till after Christ was risen.




Explication Of The Place In Mark 9. 1

But they that require an exact interpretation of this text, let them
interpret first the like words of our Saviour to St. Peter concerning
St. John, (chap. 21. 22. ) "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is
that to thee? " upon which was grounded a report that hee should not dye:
Neverthelesse the truth of that report was neither confirmed, as well
grounded; nor refuted, as ill grounded on those words; but left as a
saying not understood. The same difficulty is also in the place of St.
Marke. And if it be lawfull to conjecture at their meaning, by that
which immediately followes, both here, and in St. Luke, where the same
is againe repeated, it is not unprobable, to say they have relation
to the Transfiguration, which is described in the verses immediately
following; where it is said, that "After six dayes Jesus taketh with
him Peter, and James, and John (not all, but some of his Disciples)
and leadeth them up into an high mountaine apart by themselves, and
was transfigured before them. And his rayment became shining, exceeding
white as snow; so as no Fuller on earth can white them.